A Civil Contract

G. Heyer's novels are always fun but a great deal of their humor and character insight lies in the wording and implications of the text. Ms. Nash's narration hits this spot on and made me enjoy the audio book even more than the text version. She handles voices (both male and female), tone, characterization and interpretation with a fine sense of the author's intent.

Heyer is true to the period and transports us there. This immersion in time is a hallmark of Heyer, contrasting to many contemporary authors who insert 21st century views/mannerisms in historical settings. Ms. Nash delivers this perfectly.

If you enjoy a quiet, believable romance of ordinary problems against a background of extraordinary difficulties, try this book.

This is one of my favorite Georgette Heyer novels. The author, as usual, creates a host of vivid characters: Lord Linton is a man of integity and duty, his father-in-law is bigger than life (you can love and dislike him at the same time), and Jenny is a wonderfully complex heroine. The romance is entrancing (there is more than one involvement going on); however, the main love story is different from most Heyer novels. Heyer took the time writing this to let a relly good story unfold. I was engrossed throughout the presentatin and did not want to stop even to eat (which means it was REALLY interesting) or to sleep. The reader was perfect for the book. I thought she did a partcularly good job with the Jenny character - her chuckle/laugh was delightful. This is a solid 5 in my opinion.

Georgette Heyer's books are wonderful with accurate details of the Regency period and rich with quirky characters. This book is a delightful read and yet not a "silly" book. It is light-hearted and yet just as good literature as a Jane Austen. The herione is not the usual beauty, rather she is dumpy and plain - but you will love her just the same. Not my favorite Georgette Heyer, but enjoyable and very well read - a pleasure to listen.

I love all Georgette Heyer novels because her heroines are so sassy, smart and inspirational. But this novel went against all form for me with a heroine who was plain, and just wanted to be a good home maker. In spite of that Phylidda Nash is such a brilliant reader, drawing distinct characters with her voice that i just loved listening to the story, and grew to really appreciate the sentiment of a woman who knows her worth and is loved for being herself.

This was my first Georgette Heyer book and I loved it. The narrator caught the characters exceptionally well and the book was entertaining. If you like romantic novels with substance, this book is for you.

If you are looking for hot and steamy, between-the-legs romance, this is not the book for you. But if character development and delving into the culture of Regency times -- as much as a modern writer can recreate for us -- is of interest, than this is a perfect choice. No, not great literature aka Jane Austen, but Heyer brings an intelligence to her novels that contemporary romance writers lack.

This is the story, not of a fairy tale, but of life when perfect love doesn't prevail, but we make do anyway - sometimes quite happily!
Georgette Heyer is a master; her characters especially shine. In "A Civil Contract" she gives us one of her most relatable-to heroines. She also gives us a lot of her customary humor and heart.
It's a great story, and one of the most heart-tugging of Heyer's efforts. As always, there is great historical detail and accuracy. Her works are real Regencies, with adherence to the sensibilities and morals of that society. So, no steamy sex, no modern outrage at the lot of women. Enjoy them for what they are: cracking good historical romances with memorable, funny characters and a great dose of wit.

This is a great story with a heroine who despite her obscene wealth, is someone Average Jane can relate to. Take your typical love story with beautiful people and true romance, REMOVE the "beautiful" and the "romance", and what you get is surprisingly good stuff. I applaud Georgette Heyer's mix of talented writing and historic facts, and her little nods to Jane Austen are just sweet. The narration is a treat, Ms. Nash's voices are varied, consistent, and especially in the case of the character who was the Ultimate Stage Dad long before Hollywood even existed, hilarious!

This was my first Georgette Heyer book, and I now have all of her 'audible listed' books in my wishlist or my shopping cart. Her style of writing is very slice of life. She develops characters with character. Without being preachy, she definitely supports making morally sound decisions.
I once had an instructor who said American writers oversimplified peoples lives by not allowing their characters to have complex and sophisticated relationships. His point was that American Writers didn't write about affairs, and people making sexually immoral choices.
Being moral is not simple, and Being unfaithful isn't 'sophisticated'. Georgette Heyer, although British seems to make my case.
One of the things I appreciated about this book is that it shows how complex characters can be without crossing the line of marital fidelity.

This was not my favourite Heyer. It lacked humour and spice, and the plot was somehow reminiscent of "Gone with the Wind", although that might have been just my perception.The ending was also a bit flat, as if the story just petered out. I found the narrator good, and learnt the correct pronounciation of more than one word! Despite that, the book was a little bit tedious, and I found my attention wandering.